Saturday, 9 August 2014

Oh silly me - and the Sarasota County Library System.

I recently took out two books from the Sarasota County Library System.

One was "And there was Light" - the book about the young and blind Frenchman who became an incredible leader in the French Resistance. (I wrote about this book on my blog).

The other was a novel by Iris Murdoch titled "Jackson's Dilemma".

Having read it, I took "And there was Light" back to the Library on Aug 6th.

That day I also borrowed "Nothing Less Than War - a new history of America's entry into World War I" - a fabulous book written by a man I happened to know and like - Justus Doenecke. Justus is a retired Professor of History at New College, Sarasota, FL - and a faithful worshipper at All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church on Longboat Key, FL

Yesterday I looked at the Library receipt for the Iris Murdoch book (which I had not begun to read). Lord above, it was due back at the Library on July 29th.

In a trice I became that "anxious to please and good little boy"who I knew some sixty years ago.

That "anxious to please and good little boy" drove himself to the Fruitville Branch of the library system soon after it opened for business this morning.

Cap in hand, and with a quiver on my lips I confessed my malfeasance to the librarian on duty , all the while clutching a few dollar bills in my left hand, ready to pay the fine without complaint.

She was bemused.(and maybe secretly amused). She knew that I was confused.

With grace and care she pointed out that July 29th was the date on which I borrowed the book, not the date for its return. Oh silly me.
With a view to my confusion, and with compassion for the forgetful elderly, she extended the "due back" date until August 30th.

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About Me

I am from a blue collar background in Bristol, England, and was educated in the days of the 11+ system.
I am one of nine children. My eight siblings live in England.
After school I was first a banker; then a seminarian; then an Episcopal Priest.
I trained for ordained ministry at St. John's College, Nottingham, U.K; and the University of Nottingham from which I was graduated with the degree Bachelor in Theology.
I had 30 years of parish ministry in Massachusetts. (Fitchburg, Chicopee, Pittsfield and Cambridge).
Now retired, I live in Sarasota, FL.
My mantra: - "There is no secular world".